Post by Smita Patil

Day 3, 16th July 2026  STIP-C | Start Thinking in Policy Challenge India House ✍ "Policy making is not just about doing more, Its about doing what works 🚶for people and the planet"🌎 🚦DIY Bad Policy: "One More Lane Mission" 🛣️ "We shape our cities, and thereafter our cities shape us." -Winston Churchill A fictional policy called "One More Lane Mission", launched to solve 🚎India's growing urban traffic congestion. 🚗🚕 The policy mandates that every congested road must be widened by removing footpaths 🛤️, cycling tracks 🚲, and roadside trees 🌳, while allocating 90% of the budget to flyovers and new roads. Public transport, walking 👩‍🦯‍➡️, and cycling receive almost no investment. 💬 At first glance, it sounds practical. But in reality, it would make congestion far worse. Studies on induced demand 💹 show that adding road capacity encourages more people to use private vehicles 🚕, eventually filling the new roads again. India already has over 35 crore registered vehicles, and the number continues to rise 🔝. Meanwhile, nearly 40–50% of urban trips are 🚶short enough to walk or cycle, yet unsafe streets discourage these healthier and cheaper options. 🌳🚶🚴 This fictional policy would also increase air pollution 🌬️, fuel consumption, road accidents, and heat stress 🤒 by removing green cover. 🧔‍♀️Children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities 👨‍🦼 would face greater mobility barriers, while buses 🚍 would remain stuck in the same traffic. 💰Thousands of crores of hard-earned money 💵 of taxpayers would be spent without solving the root problem. 🎯 Policy lesson: Good intentions are not enough 😇. 🌱Sustainable mobility requires investing in public transport, walkable streets, cycling infrastructure, and integrated urban planning, not just building more roads. #PolicyPioneers #PublicPolicy #IndiaHouse #UrbanMobility #SustainableCities #ThinkBeforeYouBuild #PolicyDesign🚦🌱